Newstrack Impact: Yogi govt seeks CBI probe in Gomti Riverfront project

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government on Thursday finally recommended a CBI probe into the Rs 1513 crore Gomti Riverfront Development project scam, which was executed under the previous Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh.

Newstrack.com and Apna Bharat weekly newspaper have been raising the scam since long and the state government has stamped our reports by recommending a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

Earlier on June 19, the Uttar Pradesh government had lodged an FIR against 8 engineers of Irrigation Department in connection with the Gomti Riverfront Development project scam.

Also Read: Gomti River Front: Yogi government’s blow hot and cold response

FIRs had been lodged by irrigation executive engineer at the Gomti Nagar police station under sections 409, 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 7/13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Engineers, who are named in the FIR, are – SN Sharma (Chief Engineer), Kazim Ali (Then Chief Engineer), Shiv Mangal Yadav (Chief Engineer), Akhil Raman (Superintendent Engineer), Kamleshwar Singh (Superintendent Engineer), Roop Singh Yadav (Then Executive Engineer) and Surendra Yadav (Executive Engineer).

The Yogi Adityanath government initiated this action following recommendation of the Suresh Khanna committee which was set up to suggest action on the basis of report of the judicial committee on the project.

Also Read: Gomti Riverfront Project: UP govt initiates criminal proceedings

It may be mentioned that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, immediately after taking over the reins of the state, had ordered judicial inquiry into river front project by a retired High Court judge Alok Singh.

The Khanna Committee has suggested, on the basis of Alok Singh committee report, the CBI probe into criminal involvement in financial bunglings with regards to project.

It may be recalled that Gomti Riverfront project in state capital was executed at 16 kms stretch on bank of river Gomti. A lot of allegations of corruption were made during execution of the project which had taken place during the previous regime of Akhilesh Yadav.